Two members of the Canadian women’s staff have been sent home from the Olympic Games in the wake of their efforts to spy on two Football Ferns training sessions using a drone.
Canada’s head coach Bev Priestman — a former employee of NZ Football — has also stood down from her team’s game against the Ferns on Friday, saying she takes ultimate responsibility for the conduct of her programme.
Main photo: Bev Priestman … will exclude herself from the dugout for the match against New Zealand.
Canadian Olympic Committee statement
“Following its review of the July 22 drone incident in Saint-Etienne, and upon learning of a second drone incident at a July 19 New Zealand practice, the Canadian Olympic Committee has imposed the following sanctions and consequences:
- Joseph Lombardi, an unaccredited analyst with Canada Soccer, is being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and will be sent home immediately.
- Jasmine Mander, an assistant coach to whom Mr. Lombardi reports to, is being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and will be sent home immediately.
- COC has accepted the decision of Head Coach Bev Priestman to remove herself from coaching the match against New Zealand on July 25th.
- Canada Soccer staff will undergo mandatory ethics training.
“The COC is in contact with the lOC and in contact with FIFA. Canada Soccer has been transparent and cooperative throughout the process. The COC will continue to review this matter and may take further action if necessary.”
READ MORE: Canadians offer ‘heartfelt apologies’ after using drone to spy on Ferns practice >>>>
Bev Priestman: ‘I am ultimately responsible’
Canada Soccer’s women’s national team head coach Bev Priestman has made the following statement:
“On behalf of our entire team, I first and foremost want to apologize to the players and staff at New Zealand Football and to the players on Team Canada. This does not represent the values that our team stands for.
“I am ultimately responsible for conduct in our programme. Accordingly, to emphasize our team’s commitment to integrity, I have decided to voluntarily withdraw from coaching the match on Thursday.
“In the spirit of accountability, I do this with the interests of both teams in mind and to ensure everyone feels that the sportsmanship of this game is upheld.”
Priestman, who led Canada to gold at the Tokyo Games, was the head of women’s football in New Zealand from 2009 and 2013.
As part of her role, she mentored current Ferns coach Michael Mayne as he began his coaching development.
Married to former Football Fern Emma Humphries, Priestman left New Zealand to become an assistant coach with England before landing the Canada job.
The Wellington-raised Humphries told Stuff in September 2020 that it would be a dream to return to New Zealand to coach the Football Ferns one day, potentially even in tandem with Priestman, who she revealed has been open about her interest in the role in the past.
Drone operator given suspended sentence
Joseph Lombardi (43) has been given an eight-month suspended jail sentence for his part in the drone spying incidents.
He was charged with operating an unmanned aircraft over a prohibited area and told police he was an analyst working for the Canadian women’s team, and he had captured images from at least two practice sessions.
Lombardi, who is the head coach of the women’s A team at the Ontario National Development Centre, has been involved with the national women’s team since 2013 and has been an assistant with the men’s squad since 2018.
Meanwhile, FIFA have begun investigations into the actions of the Canadians, and, specifically, those of Priestman, Lombardi and Mander.
NZ Football statement
New Zealand Football chief executive Andrew Pragnell said: “There is no place for this type of action in football and it is critical that urgent action is undertaken to address this integrity breach.
“To hear now that the Canadian team had filmed secret footage of our team training at least twice is incredibly concerning and if not treated urgently, could have wider implications for the integrity of the tournament.
“We note that there have been some admissions by the Canadian National Olympic Committee, and they have taken their own sanctions against the Canadian team, however, considering the seriousness of the situation, and the potential implications to the sporting integrity of the entire tournament, we have referred the matter to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee seeking urgent action.”
Olympic Games fixtures
Games to be played on Friday July 26, 2024 (NZT)
Canada v New Zealand
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne, 3am (NZT)
France v Colombia
Stade de Lyon, Décines-Charpieu, 7am (NZT)
Games to be played on Monday July 29, 2024 (NZT)
New Zealand v Colombia
Stade de Lyon, Décines-Charpieu, 3am (NZT)
France v Canada
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne, 7am (NZT)
Games to be played on Thursday August 1, 2024 (NZT)
New Zealand v France
Stade de Lyon, Décines-Charpieu, 7am (NZT)
Colombia v Canada
Stade de Nice, Nice, 7am (NZT)
This story was first published on July 25, 2024.
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